Curt Brock was born May 6, 1961 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He arrived at the Joe L. Evins Appalachian Center for Crafts in 1981 to study under David Huchthausen. For the next 10 years, he worked at the Center in about every capacity possible; from student, to maintenance man, to dish washer, to studio manager, and finally graduate assistant and faculty member. Once Curt became the head of the glass program, he radically changed the philosophy of the program. The emphasis now being that the core curriculum would focus on glass blowing and developing a strong foundation of glass blowing skills. This as well as a clear understanding of the history of glass and its relationship to the current work being made in the studio glass movement.

His academic approach to his education was anything but a straight line. He studied glass at Goddard College, The Craft Center, Massachusetts College of Art, and The California College of Arts and Crafts. Looking back on it, the biggest influences were those he acquired during the 9 year period he worked and taught at The Pilchuck Glass School. It was there that he a met and worked with Dale Chihuly, Lino Tagliapietra, William Morris, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova, Bertil Vallien and many other well established glass artists. This experience gave him a much broader understanding of glass from a world wide perspective. In 1994, 10 years after receiving his undergraduate degree, he took a leave of absence from the Craft Center to finish his Masters in Sculpture at the University of Illinois. Upon his return to the Craft Center as head of the glass program, he was convinced now more than ever that to have a strong undergraduate program, his students would need to have a solid foundation of technical skills both in hot and cold glass. “It is only then that the students can begin to express their artistic ideas successfully through this technically complex medium.” This is one of the things that so clearly separates his undergraduate program from many others in the country. He also felt that his program should begin to provide the students with some general information concerning the options available to them in order to earn a living as an artist / craftsman. Since 1996, Curt has also designed and produced a limited edition line of production work under the studio name CB Glass. He has exhibited this work in the top retail craft shows in the nation. This has enabled him to integrate the ideas, concerns, and considerations surrounding a small production company into his teaching curriculum. He knew that in order to do this well, he would have to teach from a first hand experience. While continuing to develop his glass program at the Craft Center, he has also more recently completely renovated an old 1929 two-room school house into his permanent residence where he lives. His most recent passion/ obsession is trying to mold Shau Bau, a smooth coated collie he acquired from the local animal shelter, into what he hopes will be an obedience trained, championship show dog. It is obvious that from all of this, Curt Brock is deeply committed to teaching while at the same time continuing to push his own personal, artistic work. This combination gives the students access to a passionate and dynamic person, as well as caring and patient teacher.